[Lnc-business] Email Ballot 2017-02: Historic Preservation Committee

[Joshua Katz]

I think I made clear, but just in case I didn't, that this wasn't an
accusation.  In fact, I'm probably going to vote for this motion.  I just
don't want to pass it without this point coming up, for fear it becomes a
pattern in other cases.

Joshua A. Katz


On Fri, Jan 13, 2017 at 9:01 PM, Caryn Ann Harlos <carynannharlos at gmail.com>
wrote:

> And I can assure the LNC I have no intention of not appointing anyone.  I
> already have people who would be interested, and I would have every
> intention of running by LNC.  I would be working in close consultation with
> Ken as I have in this whole process.
>
> On Fri, Jan 13, 2017 at 7:58 PM, Joshua Katz <planning4liberty at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Folks, I take responsibility for not paying enough attention until now to
>> notice what I think is a serious problem with the wording of this motion.
>> In actuality, the problem I'm going to point to is not fatal for this
>> particular motion, for reasons I'll discuss below, but I have to point out
>> that, in principle, I have a concern about it.
>>
>> It was previously asked if a motion of this sort creates a chair for
>> life.  That problem was dealt with here by limiting the life of the
>> committee.  Presumably, the intent of the motion is that the committee's
>> real job will be recommending to the LNC a more permanent structure of some
>> sort to keep this happening, together with a set of things that need to be
>> done.  So far, so good.
>>
>> My objection, and we should be cautious about the precedent being set
>> here, is the "...to appoint up to 4 others."  When a power is delegated, it
>> often is lost by the delegating body, unless it is taken from the
>> committee's hand, which requires a higher vote threshold (unless done
>> during a partial report or a report has been missed).  A person who is
>> empowered to appoint up to 4 others is empowered to appoint 0 others as
>> well.  Thus, such language gives permission for a person to be a committee
>> unto themselves, even when this is not intended.
>>
>> In this case, there are many reasons this isn't a problem.  Most
>> importantly, there's just no reason to suspect that the person involved
>> would do such a thing - but this is a poor reason for creating potential
>> problems.  The committee also is not empowered, and can only make
>> recommendations - the worst that a dictatorial chair could do would be to
>> gain some agenda time and the imprimatur of a committee, both of which
>> could be dealt with.
>>
>> So, I don't see this concern as a reason not to vote for this, but I do
>> want to make a note for future reference that we should avoid this
>> formulation in places where it could matter.
>>
>> Joshua A. Katz
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Jan 13, 2017 at 7:58 PM, Alicia Mattson <agmattson at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> We have an electronic mail ballot.
>>>
>>>
>>> *Votes are due to the LNC-Business list by January 23, 2017 at
>>> 11:59:59pm Pacific time.*
>>> *Co-Sponsors:*  Goldstein, Harlos, Demarest, Bittner
>>>
>>> *Motion:*  The LNC establishes a Historic Preservation Committee to
>>> help preserve and publish historical documents of the party and to manage
>>> LPedia.  This committee is granted a budget of $5,000.  Caryn Ann Harlos is
>>> appointed chair with authority to appoint up to 4 others.  This committee
>>> will expire at the end of the LNC meeting preceding the 2018 LP National
>>> Convention.
>>>
>>> -Alicia
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Lnc-business mailing list
>>> Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
>>> http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org
>>>
>>>
>>
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>>
>
>
> --
> *In Liberty,*
> *Caryn Ann Harlos*
> Region 1 Representative, Libertarian National Committee (Alaska, Arizona,
> Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Washington) - Caryn.Ann.
> Harlos at LP.org <Caryn.Ann.Harlos at LP.org>
> Communications Director, Libertarian Party of Colorado
> <http://www.lpcolorado.org>
> Colorado State Coordinator, Libertarian Party Radical Caucus
> <http://www.lpradicalcaucus.org>
>
>
>
>
>
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>
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